This invention is directed to a security device for use in conjunction with a golf club bag, for the purpose of securing golf clubs within the bag to prevent them from being tampered with or stolen. More particularly, the security device of this invention is a unique approach for securing golf clubs within a golf bag, which is easy to attach and accommodates any type of golf bag, is simple for the golfer to use and operate, and is very practical to manufacture and market.
Unfortunately, it has become common practice for golf clubs to be stolen from unattended golf bags at public and private golf courses. This problem has grown quite considerable over the last few years since the cost of golf clubs has increased dramatically. Various devices have been designed to prevent golf clubs from being stolen, but none have been widely or successfully marketed due to their various shortcomings.
One type of security device provides for a cover designed to fit over the mouth of a golf bag and completely enclose the golf clubs to prevent their removal. Examples of such devices are known from U.S. Pat. No. 1,570,510 (McQuirk); U.S. Pat. No. 1,908,998 (Mullins); U.S. Pat. No. 1,928,922 (Adams). These devices are not effective because they are made of materials, such as cloth or leather, that can easily be cut open to allow the golf clubs to be stolen.
Another type of security device provides for a plurality of holes through which individual golf club shafts may extend. These are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,770,060 (Burlow); and U.S. Pat. No. 1,717,959 (Cauffman). The former requires the inconvenience of turning the golf clubs upside down, which is the opposite way that most golf bags and golfer's store their clubs. The latter involves a rotating disc which may be rotated to clamp or unclamp the golf club shafts within the cover. The uniform size holes of this cover allow the finish of the shafts of some of the clubs to be marred or cut, while others may be loosely held, depending on the width of the shaft. Furthermore, it is impossible to secure a standard set of 14 golf clubs with this type of configuration because the inner holes of such a design will not adequately secure a golf club. In other words, the inner holes do not close sufficiently in relation to the outer holes in order to properly secure a golf club.
Another form of security device, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,728 (Lewis), comprises a cover for the top of a golf club bag made of a two piece pivoting shell which provides a single hole in its center for securing the shafts of a group of golf clubs. This design has numerous disadvantages: (a) When the two shells are closed, they cover the entire upper opening of the golf club bag, preventing the placement of any other items; (b) the mechanism is difficult to operate since the two half shells need to be carefully aligned; (c) the golf bag must be modified by adding retaining pins which protrude from the sides of the bag; (d) when not in use, the mechanism must be stored separately or hung by a chain from the side of the bag, which is not aesthetically pleasing.
Another type of security device, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,019 (Lewis), comprises a pair of elongated arms for gripping one or more golf club shafts and permanently attaches them to a golf bag. This design has numerous disadvantages: (a) The device permanently attaches to the golf bag, making it difficult to remove when playing a course where it may not be needed; (b) The golf bag must be modified with bolts or screws to properly attach the device; (c) One size does not fit all, consequently, it would be necessary to manufacture many sizes to fit the vast variety of golf bags available; (d) When not in use, the device's elongated arms make it difficult and awkward to remove golf clubs while playing the game; (e) This device is not aesthetically appealing for the user; (f) The device is difficult and awkward to use since the golf clubs must all be bunched in the center of the golf bag, and most bags do not allow for this.
Another form of security device, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,100 (Smith), comprises a device having three narrow slots with a U-shaped arm that pivots open and closed to secure golf clubs. This design has numerous disadvantages: (1) This device is difficult to use since each golf club must be laterally inserted in series in a through-cut slot; (2) When not in use, this large device may be difficult to store in standard golf bag pockets, or else, the device must be awkwardly hung from the side of the bag making it aesthetically unappealing; (3) Since this device secures the golf clubs in series, it makes it difficult and awkward if the user wants to remove a single club that is furthest away from the opening. In other words, one would have to remove several clubs in order to retrieve a single club and then re-insert all the clubs back in the device.